Ore-washer



(No Model.)

` H. s. DAVIS.

ORE WASHER.

Patented Deo. 1, 1891.

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hul/W4@ ATTORNEYS v UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

I-IOMER S. DAVIS, OF STILLVATER, MONTANA.

ORE-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,431, dated December1,1891.

Application led January 13 1891l To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER S. DAvIs, of Stillwater, in the county ofYellowstone and State of Montana, have invented a new and ImprovedOre-Vasher, of which the followin g is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ore-washerwhich is simple and durable in construction, very effective inoperation, and more especially adapted to separate precious metals fromcoarse and fine sand and to assimilate the metal with mercury to form anamalgam.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations ofthe same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and then pointedout in the claims. Y

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters .of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional sideelevation of the same on the line a: of Fig. 1,and Fig. 3 is atransverse section of the same on the line y y of Fig. 1. p

The improved ore-Washer is provided with an inclined sluiceway A, havingin part of its bottom B a series of transverselyarranged slits C, formedby metallic plates D, having their tops in line with the upper surfaceof the bottom B. The precious-metal-bearing sand is passed with water inthe usual manner onto the upper end of the sluiceway A to ow down theinclined bottom onto the plates D, so that the precious metal and thefine sand pass through the slits C into a box E, arranged below the saidslits and fastened to the under side of the sluiceway A. The coarsermaterial passes over the last or lowermost plate D onto the lower end ofthe inclined bottom B to be nally discharged with part of the water fromthe sluiceway. The box E is provided with a transversely-inclined bottomF, the lower side of which discharges the fine sand and gold throughopenings G, formed in the front side of the box E. The line sand andgold pass from the dischargeopenings G into an amalgamating-receptacleH, arranged in an inclined position at one. side of the sluiceway A, asis plainly illustrated in the drawings. The amalgamatingsemi No.377,590. No model.)

' box H is provided with aseries of transverse tacle' H by thetransverse strips I is placed mercury J, the level of which in eachcompartment extends to the upper edge of the respective strip I. (SeeFig. 2.) The lower end of the receptacle H is open, so as to dischargethe sand and water to any desired place; but when it is desired to runoff the amalgam a box N is provided, held on the lower end of thereceptacle H to receive the amalgam, as hereinafter more fullydescribed. The line sand, precious metal, and water passing through theslits O into the box E, as previously described, finally passthroughvthe discharge-openings G into the several compartments formed bythe strips I in the receptacle H. The precious metal is taken up by themercury J, while the sand and water flow downward and out through thelower end of the receptacle H. vThe receptacle H is somewhat lessinclined than the sluiceway A, so that the precious metal has some timeto settle in the mercury, as otherwise would not be the case. When thisoperation has been continued for a suitablelength of time, the amalgamcan be run off into the receptacle N at the lower end of the receptacleH by withdrawing successively the several plugs L, so that the amalgamfrom one receptacle can pass to the next following one, and so on, untilit nally reaches the receptacle N. The amalgam is then further treatedinthe usual manner. rlhe quantity of sand and water passing through thereceptacle H is very small, so that the above-described process ofcleaning the receptacle can be carried on at any time without stoppingthe feed of the material in the sluiceway.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent-- l 1. In an ore-washer, anamalgamating-receptacle placed in an' inclined position and providedwith a series of transverse strips, each having an opening in itsbottom, and

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plugs fitted into the said openings to form yvith the said stripscompartments for retainlng mercury, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In an olewasller, the combination, with a sluiceway placed in aninclined position and provided in part of its bottom with transverseplates forming slits for the passage of fine sand and precious metals,of a box arranged below the said plates to receive the discharge throughthe said slits, the said box beingprovided with a longitudinal andtransverselyinclined bottom and openings formed in the' sides at thelowermost side of the said in- HOMER S. DAVIS. Witnesses:

F. R. MUssER, H. M. WOODWARD.

